Maribel Hall’s legal battle against the City of Wooster takes a significant turn as the Ohio Court of Appeals reverses a previous summary judgment in favor of the city. The complaint, filed by Maribel Hall in Wayne County Court on December 22, 2025, accuses the City of Wooster of negligence after she tripped and fell on Liberty Street due to alleged improper maintenance and obstruction caused by construction fencing.
The case traces back to an incident where Hall sustained injuries while crossing Liberty Street in Wooster. She claims that the city’s failure to maintain or repair the crosswalk, combined with inadequate warnings about blocked sidewalks due to construction, led to her accident. Initially, the City of Wooster sought summary judgment, asserting immunity under R.C. 2744.02. However, Hall countered this motion by highlighting genuine issues of material fact that should prevent such a judgment.
The trial court initially denied the city’s motion for summary judgment but failed to articulate its reasoning regarding political subdivision immunity adequately. On appeal, this oversight was addressed, leading to a reversal and remand for further analysis. The trial court then granted summary judgment again based on statutory immunity after determining that crosswalks do not qualify as “public roads” under R.C. 2744.01(H), thus not fitting exceptions under R.C. 2744.02(B)(3).
Hall contested this decision by arguing that the crosswalk should not be classified as a traffic control device since it was blocked and unusable due to construction activities initiated by the city itself. The appellate court agreed with Hall’s interpretation, emphasizing that marked crosswalks are indeed part of public roads and fall within statutory definitions contrary to the trial court’s conclusion.
In seeking relief from the courts, Hall aims for acknowledgment that her injury resulted from negligence on part of the city regarding road maintenance and seeks damages accordingly. The appellate court’s decision highlights procedural missteps and statutory misinterpretations in granting immunity unjustly to political subdivisions when public safety is compromised.
The case now returns to Wayne County Court for proceedings consistent with this new interpretation—where Maribel Hall will continue her pursuit for justice against what she perceives as negligence leading to her injuries.
Representing Maribel Hall is attorney David M. Todaro while John D. Latchney and Anne M. Markowski represent the City of Wooster in this legal saga presided over by Judge Jill Flagg Lanzinger along with Judges Sutton and Stevenson under Case ID: 2023-CVC-C-000114.
Source: 2025Ohio5695_Hall_v_City_of_Wooster_Opinion_Ohio_Court_of_Appeals.pdf